2026 Refuge of Belonging Annual Retreat
Crestone Mountain Zen Center
August 16 - 22, 2026
Join us for our annual gathering as the Refuge of Belonging community comes together for a week of deepening practice and shared exploration. This year, our retreat will be held at Crestone Mountain Zen Center, where nico lived and trained through much of his twenties—a true homecoming to a place steeped in silence, lineage, and the rhythms of daily practice.
In this week-long residential retreat, devon + nico will guide participants through a series of Buddhist meditation practices designed to awaken insight (vipassanā) and intimacy with life as it is.
The retreat begins with an evening of arrival and orientation on Sunday, opening with a community conversation and overview of the week ahead. The following days unfold in noble silence, supported by guided meditations, dharma talks, and both group and individual practice meetings with devon + nico.
As the capstone gathering of our practice year, this retreat offers an opportunity to deepen together into the heart of refuge—clear seeing, belonging, and embodied awakening.
Prerequisites
To participate in this annual community retreat, please ensure you meet the following:
At least two prior week-long insight meditation retreats – this retreat builds upon established practice.
An ongoing relationship with devon and/or nico – this is our annual reunion for members of the extended Refuge of Belonging community.
Traveling to Crestone
Crestone Mountain Zen Center is a four-hour drive from Denver International Airport (DIA).
We're organizing optional shared van rides from DIA for an additional fee.
Timing
The retreat begins with arrival between 2-5pm on Sunday, August 16th, and concludes by 10am on Saturday, August 22nd.
Cost
This is a dāna-based retreat. There is no fixed tuition. A non-refundable deposit of $200 is required to hold your place.
devon hase is a Buddhist teacher and author who brings meditation practice into the heart of modern life. She began meditation training in 2000 and has practiced intensively in both the Insight and Vajrayana traditions, studying closely with Joseph Goldstein, Tara Brach, Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche, and others. She completed a Tibetan three-year retreat during the covid years. She serves as guiding teacher of the online dharma community Refuge of Belonging, where she teaches online and in-person in Joseph Goldstein's One Dharma lineage, and speaks with students in mentoring sessions. Her friendly, caring approach centers nature, relationships, depth practice, and love. Look for her newest book, This Messy Gorgeous Love: A Buddhist Guide to Lasting Partnership, co-authored with her partner nico, in April 2026.
nico hase phd is a Buddhist teacher, psychologist, and author who focuses on bringing depth practice to daily life. He began Insight Meditation training in 1994, lived much of the first decade of the 21st century in a Zen monastery, and completed a Tibetan three-year retreat during the covid years. He serves as guiding teacher of the online dharma community Refuge of Belonging, where he teaches online and in-person in Joseph Goldstein's One Dharma lineage, and speaks with students in mentoring sessions. Look for his newest book, This Messy Gorgeous Love: A Buddhist Guide to Lasting Partnership, co-authored with his partner devon, in April 2026.